Opportunities for Complex Care Programs to Address the Social Determinants of Health

This brief explores opportunities to better address patients’ non-medical needs, including: (1) identifying patients’ non-medical needs; (2) employing non-traditional workers; (3) partnering with community-based organizations and social service agencies; (4) testing new uses for technology to help address social needs; and (5) identifying sustainable funding to support non-medical services.

Traditionally, payers, policymakers, and consumers have looked to the health care system to improve health outcomes. More recently, however, attention has shifted toward a broader approach that includes cross-sector collaboration to address the social, economic, and environmental factors impacting individual and population health, and providing opportunities to improve health equity.